Useless Python

01/31/2001

If you have a large thriving program with several developers,
you might want to host it on a web-based development site. But
what about the many thousands of small programs people write when
they are just exploring a language, or small bits of code without
much use? Enter, the
Useless Python web site, a repository of worthless code for
the edification of others. Brought to you by the Mississippi
Python Interest Group (pronounced Miss Piggie) and the Python
Tutor e-mail list, Useless Python offers to host all your old
useless code.

Far from useless, the repository is a great idea for those
just learning to program. While there are certainly better
examples of programming to be found, they are often large and
complex, too complex to easily wrap your head around them. These
short programs are a little easier to grasp and despite being
labeled useless, can inspire short useful scripts of your own.
Programming doesn't have to be complex to be useful to you.

Sometimes, though you have no useful reason to program, you
still want a programming challenge. You want to try out your
skill and wrack your head for an answer to something, anything.
A little contest can be just the thing to get your mind thinking.
Among the useless programs you will find at this site are answers
to the ACM International
Collegiate Programming Contest. Answers to the contest are
supposed to be written in C, C++, or Pascal, making answers in
Python especially useless, but fun! If you are looking for a
challenge, consider contributing some answers of your own.

Dumb sites don't just happen. They start with an incredibly
dumb design. The Useless Python pages are maintained by Rob
Andrews, on the
Lowerstandard.com web site. Useless Python fulfills their
mission: to seek out lower standards in creativity of any form
and post them for the masses to see. Programs that meet lower
standards abound. I have a feeling this repository could grow
very quickly.